


Daisy Moon

by murphyenby



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28938831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murphyenby/pseuds/murphyenby
Summary: In an alternate Universe where Princess Yue did not have to give up her life, the Fire Nation is trying to redeem itself. They send ambassadors to the Northern Water Tribes, attempting to make peace. But when Mai and Yue are forced to spend months together after a rocky start, will they ever get along?
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

“The Fire Nation recognizes the irreparable damage that has been done to the Water Tribes, both north and south, by Firelord Ozai,” Ukano stated to the vast meeting room. Every pillar (made of ice) seemed to shake with the weight of this statement. An apology could never fix the century of war, pain, and suffering the Fire Nation caused; The very ice around them knew that fact painfully well.

  
Water on one side, fire on another, the diplomacy and damage repair from the Fire Nation’s past mistakes had begun, and it was painstaking- Mai could attest. Having to watch her father grovel at the feet of every important man in the Water Tribes was slightly humiliating. She knew that it had to be done, but the constant apologies were still hard to watch.  
“-Fire nation policies are changing with a new Firelord in charge. We are working day and night to better the nation…”

  
Mai tuned out the rest. She had heard this speech a hundred times before. Dozens of meeting rooms exactly like this one had housed her father and his lies about change and diplomacy after Ozai’s reign of terror. Mai knew deep inside that her father had not changed; he was still as arrogant, traditional, and fake as he always had been. Her insides began to wilt as she thought about it- she hated liars.

  
Drumming her fingers on the table, Mai started scanning the room, looking for something to distract her from her inevitable death by boredom. Old men were everywhere - they dominated the water tribe - but there was one outlier: a young woman with the most beautiful white hair Mai had ever seen. The girl looked just as bored as Mai was. She must be the water tribe princess, realised Mai, raising her eyebrows.

  
The princess’s arms were crossed. Her shining hair was in an elaborate braid that framed her face perfectly; Mai felt slightly inadequate. She was conscious of her own beauty, of her slanted eyes and black hair. This girl’s glow seemed to bring out the dull in Mai.

  
Ukano bowed to Arnook, the Water Tribe Chief, in the traditional fire nation sense, and once they both stood up to shake hands, the rest of the room also stood. Negotiation had ceased, and a peace had been reached. Finally, thought Mai as she stood up. She stretched, starting to walk towards the humming crowd of Fire Nation diplomats before her father grabbed her wrist. “Mai,” he said, a forced smile on his face, “this is Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe.”

  
Her father gestured towards the pretty young princess Mai had seen from across the room. Mai bowed respectfully, knowing she had to accept the Princess as her superior if she wanted the Fire Nation to be civil with the Northern Water Tribe. “Princess,” she murmured.  
Princess Yue nodded curtly. She said nothing to Mai.

  
“Why don’t you two girls take a walk? Become friends?” Ukano pushed Mai towards Yue and she stumbled forward. Then, he left to enjoy the newfound peace.

  
“Yes, father,” Mai deadpanned. 'Obey,' she thought. 'It’s the only way to keep him happy.'

  
The two girls stood in awkward silence for what seemed like a millennia.

  
“If you think I’m going to become friends with some Fire Nation girl, you’re dead wrong,” Yue stated, her nose turned up at Mai.

  
“I never said that,” Replied the slightly offended Mai, her face completely expressionless. Of course the Princess acted spoiled- like a brat. Like a.. well, like the Chief’s little princess.

  
“They expect us to get along because our countries are ‘at peace’ now,” the Princess spat lowly, her eyes shooting daggers into Mai’s, “but I haven’t forgotten nearly dying at the hands of your nation. At the hands of your Firelord Zuko.” She spat the name Zuko from her lips as if it were venom.

  
Mai raised her eyebrows. “Firelord Zuko has redeemed himself in the eyes of The Avatar, the Earth Nation, everyone- except for you, apparently.”

  
“I’m glad to be an exception.”

  
“It’s the only thing you’re an exception from. I’ve never met a more basic, prissy princess before in my life.” Mai’s face was still expressionless, but her mirth showed in her voice. Never before now had she met someone who was as pretentious and unchanging as Yue was- and Mai hated her for it.

  
The Princess gasped, her cheeks growing pink. “And I’ve never met more of an emotionless hag than yourself!”

  
Mai and Yue both looked away from one another, their cheeks blazing with mutual dislike.

  
“Thank god I’m leaving tomorrow,” muttered Mai, her voice full of poison.

  
Yue turned to face the other girl, her cheeks red and her eyes blazing with the fire she could not bend. “You won’t think I’m such a ditzy princess once I punch you in the nose,” she threatened in a near whisper, balling both of her fists at her side. The anger in her eyes made them striking; a burning blue that could only be compared to the waves of a tsunami. Then, out of sheer discontent, Yue started ranting in a heated whisper about the Fire Nation and its shortcomings.

  
So much was going through Mai’s mind that it took her a minute to sort through it all. First, the sheer ignorance and arrogance of this princess: Insulting the Firelord after their nations had made peace? Didn’t she realize that she could cause another international incident- or even start a war? Second, Mai could not stop watching Yue’s lips as she spoke. They were mesmerising each time they moved. There was simply no getting over how purely beautiful Princess Yue was, and Mai knew it. So, that was what she focused on; every curvature of her face, and the pink tint of her cheeks, and the way her big, blue eyes sparkled.

  
“-a spoiled, apathetic, good for nothing, Fire Nation prude!” finished Yue, crossing her arms once more.

  
“Are you done yet?” Mai drawled, intentionally sounding as bored as possible, “I have to go get told off by someone else. I’ve made an appointment.”

  
“Very funny,” hissed Yue. Her cheeks were still pink with anger and her hands clenched into fists.

  
Mai ignored this remark. “Look, I’m here because my dad wants me to be; no other reason. I don’t care whether you like me or not. You don’t even know me, so calm down.”

  
There was a moment - a miniscule moment - where Princess Yue’s gaze seemed to soften and her posture seemed to relax. At that moment, the two girls seemed human to each other. They each had been hurt. They each had regrets, and fears, and standards to which they had to live up.

  
But that moment ended just as quickly as it had begun. Mai heard Yue remark “Father!” and she looked up, placed a smile on her face, and adjusted her posture to look relaxed. They needed to seem like they hadn’t been fighting. Looking over, Mai saw that Princess Yue had done the same; she had even placed a hand on Mai’s arm. It took all of the other girl’s willpower not to shrug (or slap) it off.

  
“Girls, I hope you are enjoying yourselves,” said Arnook, a very diplomatic smile on his face, “and that you are starting to become great friends.”  
The two girls exchanged a look that very plainly expressed otherwise.

  
“Yes, father,” Yue agreed (although falsely) with a big smile, “Mai and I were just talking about how glad we are that the nations are finally at peace. It will be wonderful to have a friend in the Fire Nation!”

  
Arnook smiled lovingly at his daughter. “Don’t get too excited. Ukano! Let’s talk to them.”

  
Again, Mai and Yue looked at each other with apprehension. Was there something they didn’t know?

  
Ukano walked over, his big, fake, smile alight with faux glee. “Should we tell them our little surprise, Chief Arnook?” he inquired with an exaggerated wink.  
“I believe we should,” Arnook replied, his smile seeming genuine.

  
Princess Yue and Mai both braced themselves. This was either going to be very good or very, very bad.

  
Ukano placed a hand on Mai’s shoulder in a fatherly gesture she wasn’t quite used to. “Mai, the Chief and I have been talking, and we believe it would be extremely beneficial for you to stay in the Northern Tribe for a few months to learn its customs. You would shadow Princess Yue as a diplomatic ambassador!”

  
There was dead silence.

  
“Father, can I.. Speak to you?” asked Mai, her palms sweating and her heart pumping. She grasped her father’s hand and pulled him away from Arnook and Yue. “Is this a joke?” she asked him, crossing her arms.

  
“No, this is not a joke. You are going to stay in the Water Tribes for the next four to six months. The details are all smoothed over.” Ukano looked intensely at his daughter. “Is there something you have to say?”

  
There was plenty Mai had to say. 'Not only am I not staying in the Water Tribes where it is constantly cold, wet, and boring, but I am not shadowing that insufferable princess! I’m tired of being used as your political pawn. You view me as nothing more than an object who makes you look good as an ambassador. I’m done!'

  
But all that came out of Mai’s mouth was “No, Father. I respect your decision.” And she turned her back on her father.

  
'Alright, Mai,' she thought, clenching her eyes shut, 'you can do this.'

  
Mai locked eyes with Princess Yue. The hatred in her deep blues was matched only by Mai’s gold enmity.

  
These next few weeks were going to be hell; but if they were going to be hell for Mai, she was going to do her best to make them hell for Yue, too.


	2. Chapter 2

“Don’t touch me.” 

“I’m not touching you.”

“Stop it or else.”

“I’m not touching you! You can’t get mad.”

“I swear to the spirits-” Yue slapped Mai’s hand (which was just barely hovering over her skin) away from her cheek. 

“There’s no need to get riled up. I wasn’t even touching you.” A small smirk was playing on Mai’s face. Her mission to make Yue’s life a living hell was proving to be a success; Yue was angry all the time and so, so easy to bother. It was simple, really- anything that deliberately showed Yue how much Mai disliked her but wasn’t harmful in the slightest. 

Yue’s anger showed plainly, much to her own displeasure. “For the past two days you have been completely insufferable! I didn’t choose this either, so can you knock it off?” She took a deep breath and composed herself before going on. “I’m sorry. You are an ambassador and you deserve my respect.”

It was true, Mai had been insufferable- on purpose. If she had to live in the cold, damp water tribe for six months, Yue had to deal with annoyances by the dozen. Mai would do small things like stealing and misplacing Yue’s hair brush or throwing her knives slightly too close to Yue’s head (but missing, just barely). 

Mai didn’t say anything in reply. She only raised an eyebrow and looked away from Yue. At this moment, they were sitting side by side, waiting for a waterbending demonstration to start. Waterbenders were lining up in intricate formations, and Mai thought it was beautiful, but she would never say it. Instead, she said “What’s the point of decorative waterbending anyway? Make them fight each other or something.” She shivered in her thin coat; she wasn’t used to being so cold all the time. It was awful. 

Yue started taking off her coat, and Mai didn’t think anything of it until that very same coat was on her shoulders. “What are you doing?” she asked abruptly.  
Yue shrugged. “I’m used to the cold. You need it more than I do.”

“Oh.” Mai only looked slightly less bored in response. She shrugged Yue’s coat onto her shoulders more. They sat in silence for a few more minutes. 

“You know, you don’t have to be so sour towards me. I’m willing to be friends with you, if you wanted.” Yue didn’t look at Mai, but her cheeks were pink. 

Mai rolled her eyes. “Okay, Miss ‘If you expect me to be friends with some Fire Nation girl you’re dead wrong.” 

Yue sighed. “You can’t fault me for being sore about it. I mean, I was nearly killed by your people more than once!” 

“Whatever,” muttered Mai, but she scooted a little closer to Yue on their bench. 

Yue smiled a sincere smile; maybe they were getting somewhere. 

The waterbending demonstration began, and Yue watched it, enrapt in its intricacies. She clapped every time something seemingly magical happened. Mai watched her, watched the wonder in her eyes, and a small smile crept onto her lips. “Why are you so excited? It’s only bending,” she asked quietly, but she genuinely did want to know. 

Yue shrugged. “I’m not a bender, and waterbending is held in the highest esteem in my tribe,” she replied, her eyes lighting up and her hands clapping rapidly as two waterbenders did a miraculous trick. “I’ve always wished I could do it. When I was a kid-” she laughed lightly; it was a tinkling sound, like static electricity, “- I used to stare at the water for hours, trying and trying to get it to move. Never worked, but I kept trying.” 

Mai’s gaze softened slightly. “I’m not a bender, either,” she said. “Azula was always the cool one- ever the prodigy.” Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away. “But you didn’t ask for my life story,” she scoffed. 

“No, no, I liked it- I want to know more about you. Maybe then I won’t hate you so much,” joked the Princess. She looked over and saw Mai’s small smile. When Mai caught her looking, the smile was dropped, and they didn’t speak until the end of the demonstration. 

\-----------------------

“Wasn’t that great?” Yue exclaimed, clutching her hands to her chest. “It was so elegant- so enticing, so-”

“It wasn’t that great,” Muttered Mai, clutching Yue’s coat around her. “and it’s freezing here. How do you people live like this?”

Grinning, Yue nudged Mai with her elbow. “You get used to it after a little while. You know what they say- cold hands, warm heart!”

Mai was slightly confused. She had never seen Yue this happy. Normally, Yue was angry, reserved, and downright mean, but now… Now, Yue was flawless. Mai could have sat down and listened to her speak all day. “I guess.”

Yue looked at Mai with a light in her eyes. “You aren’t so bad, Ambassador,” she said softly. 

Mai’s cheeks went pink. “Whatever,” she said under her breath. Then, she noticed that Princess Yue was no longer beside her, so she turned around. The princess was standing still, her eyes on the horizon. “What are you staring at?” asked Mai in a nasty sort of tone. 

Yue rolled her eyes at the attitude in Mai’s question. Without a word, she walked to mai, grabbed her wrist, and started pulling her in the opposite direction they had been walking.  
“Hey-” protested Mai, but she was interrupted by the princess. 

“I have to show you something.”

Ignoring all of her Ambassador’s protests, Yue marched Mai towards the center of the city and up the longest flight of stairs Mai had ever seen- but she stopped close to the top and said: “Close your eyes.” Mai glared at the princess for a little while, but eventually gave in and shut her eyes tight. 

“Okay…” Yue guided Mai up three more stairs and walked her onto a flat, cold surface. “Open them,” she instructed. 

Mai did as the Princess wished, and god, was she glad she had done so. In front of her was the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen before. Standing on a bridge overlooking the entire tribe, the Ambassador watched tiny people walking and talking. The city of ice looked like a city of glass- it glistened, iridescent, in the dimming sunlight. The setting sun set forth a burst of colors in the sky. Reds, purples, oranges, blues, and rippling golds filled the horizon with such splendor that Mai felt like she might cry, but she held it in. She hadn’t known that the Water Tribe could be so beautiful. 

“What do you think?” 

She turned around and saw the Princess staring not at the sunset, but at Mai. Yue’s eyes were wide, their deep blue searching Mai’s soul for an answer.  
“It’s…” Mai took a deep breath, unsure of what to say. “It’s colorful,” she commented. 

Yue laughed her tinkling laugh again. “Yes, it is,” she giggled. 

Something inside of Mai wanted to keep making Yue laugh, but she didn’t know how. It wasn’t like her to care what other people did or if they found her funny. 

“You know, waterbending is most powerful at night during a full moon,” murmured Yue, staring now at the moon, which had just appeared in the darkening sky. She walked to the ice railing of the bridge. Mai also approached it, marvelling in the dusk’s beauty. ‘I wonder how many people are looking at the same view,’ she thought. Mai went to rest her hand on the bridge’s ice railing, expecting to meet the cold, icy surface; instead, she met something warm and softer than satin. She looked down, and her stomach dropped- It was Yue’s hand. 

“Oh,” squeaked Yue, pulling her hand away from Mai’s. Her cheeks blushed red. 

“That- that was an accident,” Mai exclaimed, feeling heat rush from her face to her belly. 

They both stood in silence for what seemed like hours, not looking at one another, but ever so conscious of the other’s presence. Both of them were simply existing- no more, no less.  
“This is my favorite spot,” sighed Yue, finally breaking the silence. 

“I can see why,” replied Mai. She looked over at the Princess. “Didn’t you and that Southern Tribe boy date?” She asked abruptly. 

Yue laughed lightly. “Sokka, yeah,” she sighed, shaking her head, “he was very sweet, and I liked him a lot… but it wouldn’t have worked, anyway. We were too similar.”

“I just asked if you dated,” scoffed Mai, “I didn’t ask if you were destined soulmates or anything.” But secretly, Mai hoped the princess would go on. It had been a while since she’d had someone to talk to. After she and Zuko broke up, Mai lost her only trusted confidant. 

Yue rolled her eyes (she was doing a lot of that ever since Mai showed up) and leaned against the railing more, but didn’t respond. In the glistening now-moonlight, the Princess’s hair shined, and her skin glowed. Mai’s mouth felt dry when she looked at Yue. She searched for something to say- should she comment on the weather? the moonlight? the tribe? Her brain working overtime, her heart pumping fast, Mai chose her words carefully when she spoke to Yue next. 

“The moon… It suits you.” 

Yue’s smile made Mai’s heart burst. “Thank you,” blushed the Princess, turning to face Mai in the pale moonlight. Mai, too, turned to face Yue, and they avoided eye contact for a minute. “You know,” began Yue, “when I was a baby, I nearly died. I couldn’t cry, not like other babies.” She seemed to gravitate closer to Mai with each word. “But the moon spirit… she saved me. That’s why my hair is white,” a small smile, a little laugh, “and why I have such a connection to the nighttime. My father used to say that I glow in the moonlight,” Yue’s voice was near a whisper now, and the two girls were inches apart. 

It was true, Mai thought; Yue did glow in the moonlight. But someone as beautiful as her also glowed in the daytime, although she might not know it. 

The Princess and the Ambassador stood there, almost nose to nose, under the night sky, and Mai was feeling something she had never felt before. It was deep in her gut, in her soul; something was telling her to make a move. What did that even mean? 

Just as Mai was about to break the tension, Yue shattered it. “Sokka and I first kissed on this bridge.” 

In spite of herself, Mai’s stomach rolled itself into a knot. So, that’s why Yue had brought her here- to talk about Sokka. “Good for you,” she said, her voice sharp as a blade. She turned away from the Princess and looked out over the city again. Now, instead of tense, the silence was stale and cold. 

“What?” asked Yue, noticing the sudden change in demeanor coming from Mai. She tried to put a hand on the ambassador’s shoulder, but Mai shrugged it off. “What did I do?”

“Here’s your coat. Take it,” Bracing the sudden cold, Mai shoved the coat into Yue’s arms and turned to walk away. 

“Mai,” called Yue, walking quickly after the ambassador, “what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing is wrong.” Mai stopped in her tracks. “I don’t like you. I never will, so stop trying to make me. It won’t happen.” Her voice was bored, but her brain was confused as to why she felt so… so upset. She started walking again, this time a little faster than before in an effort to get away from Yue. 

Yue’s face contorted as if she were about to cry. “Trying to make you like me? Please,” she retorted, holding her head up high, “I have no interest in you liking me. My only interest is in my tribe and its relationship with the Fire Nation.” As Mai walked, Yue continued to follow close behind her. “Honestly, I don’t know why you were chosen for this job if you can’t even be diplomatic!” 

Mai once again stopped. This time, she turned to face the Princess. “I am here because my father wants political gain,” she spat, clenching her jaw. “I am here to make the Fire Nation look good. I am here, Princess, because my generation has to clean up a political mess that we weren’t here for the start of! So, If you will,” Mai faked a curtsey, “leave me alone.” 

Yue stayed where she was. As Mai walked off, she could hear the muffled sobs of Princess Yue, the pounding of her own heart in her ears, and her fast footsteps on the slick ice.  
She rounded a corner and sat down in the darkness. Her teeth chattered. Her eyes stung. And she put her head in her hands, trying to unsee the image of Princess Yue’s tear stained cheeks among the scattered ruins of what could have been something wonderful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // violence in this chapter, although it isn't very graphic

In the cold, dead night, clouds of breath formed in front of Mai’s face. She didn’t know how long she’d been outside in this weather; all she knew was that her lips were starting to numb. Her feet ached with every step she took. 

“Dumb Princess,” she muttered to herself, thinking of each and every word that had been yelled only minutes before. 

_ “I have no interest in you liking me.” _

Mai shook her head to rid the thought from it. It couldn’t possibly be true, could it? Could Yue truly not care about the impression she made upon her Ambassador? 

_ Well, why shouldn’t she? _ thought Mai, wringing her hands together for warmth as she walked.  _ I don’t care about what _ she  _ thinks of me. Why should she care what I think?  _ But the little voice - the truthful voice - in the back of her mind was telling her that she  _ did _ care. In fact, she cared very much about what Yue thought. Too much. 

Again, the Ambassador shook her head. She couldn’t afford to get lost in thoughts about the Princess; it would only infuriate her more. Every time that girl’s soft face came into mind, Mai started thinking more about the way she spoke and the deep, ocean blue of her eyes. It was  _ disgusting.  _ Quite frankly she wished she could forget the whole ordeal altogether. 

The cold slowly got colder as Mai walked the abandoned streets of the Northern Water tribe. Her steps  _ click click clicked _ on the icy ground and goosebumps riddled her arms. Looking around, Mai realized that she had no idea where she was. She was utterly, completely lost. 

_ Great. _

Mai stopped in her tracks in order to get her bearings - but the sound of footsteps continued behind her. 

All of the Ambassador’s survival instincts kicked in at once. Her heart rate sped. Her face went stony cold. She pretended like she hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching behind her and nonchalantly reached for her knives -  _ They weren’t there.  _

Panic flooded Mai’s entire body. She felt helpless in a fight without those knives, but she would have to make do. She could fight with her fists instead. 

Mai walked a few more paces, and then stopped, trying to gauge how far away the other set- no,  _ sets, _ more than one pair of feet were stepping - of footsteps were. In a haze of courage and panic, she turned around to face whomever was following her, but nobody was there. She looked around. There was no one to be seen. 

_ Okay,  _ thought the Ambassador,  _ this is fine. This is absolutely fine. I just need to get back to the castle without letting them know I know they-  _ But her thoughts were interrupted by a gruff voice from the shadows. 

“You think you’re so tough… Fire Nation  _ scum _ .” 

Mai did her best to look bored even though fear was pulsing in every limb of her body. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

A different, higher voice cackled in a shadow behind Mai. She whipped around to face the noise. 

“Don’t bother trying to defend yourself, Ambassador. We have you surrounded,” growled the same gruff voice as before. Sure enough, as she looked around, Mai could see a dozen or so pairs of gleaming eyes all around her in the shadows. 

“Who are you?” Mai called into the darkness. The hair on the back of her neck was prickling in anticipation of the fight she knew had to come. But if all of these people were grown Water Tribe men, or worse, grown Water Tribe waterbenders, she wasn’t sure that she could take them all. 

“Unimportant,” the gruff voice snapped. “What is important is that you, Fire Nation hussie, learn your lesson.” 

Mai laughed mirthlessly in spite of her current situation. “My lesson?”

Six, seven, eight, nine voices laughed all around the Ambassador, who felt her face pale at the sound. She knew she was outnumbered- but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t try to win this fight. 

“Your lesson, Ambassador, yes,” the gruff voice chuckled. He stepped out of the shadows. This man was massive. His biceps had to be bigger than Mai’s waist, and he had a satchel of water in a sling around his shoulder. 

Mai’s breath caught in her throat. Her palms started to sweat. This was going to be the end of her, she was sure of it. 

The rest of the gruff man’s cronies stepped out of the shadows, too. There was a woman with a scar running down her neck, a young man with a full beard, and many, many other people who looked extremely menacing. One of them had a knife in between their teeth. 

“Look, whatever you think I’ve done, I haven’t. The Princess and I only had a disagreement, that’s-” 

“I don’t care about your relationship with the Princess.” the gruff man, who had one eye half closed, stepped closer and closer to Mai. “The Chief might have forgotten what your nation has done to us, and the Princess might not care, but we-” He eyed his cronies “-we haven’t forgotten. We will never forget, and we’ll never forgive, either.” 

Mai took a step back from this menacing man and bumped into one of his cronies. She immediately jumped away.

“Boys,” growled the leader of the group, “get her.” 

Mai was thrown into the fight of her life when the sharpest water blade she had ever felt slashed open her cheek. 

She cried out, ducking under a poorly aimed punch by one of the gang. Her instincts took over and she swiped her leg under the feet of the impending crowd. Someone kicked her in the gut. Mai gagged, falling to the floor but immediately getting up to defend herself. She wasn’t going down that easily. 

The Ambassador blocked a few punches and then grabbed the gruff man’s arm and twisted it behind his back. They stood there, arms interlocked, in a moment of utmost tension. 

“You can’t win,  _ scum _ ,” he choked out, breathing heavy. 

“I can try,” grunted Mai. She lost her grip on the Watertribesman’s arm and hurried to block the kick he aimed at her middle- but she caught a blow aimed at the side of her head which knocked her to the ground. 

Mai felt a heavy blow to her side and she curled in a ball, coughing up blood. There were kicks hitting her from every direction. She was completely helpless. Soon, someone stepped on her back, pressing her flat on the icy ground. 

“Lesson learned, Ambassador.” 

And Mai, her vision blurring, watched the faces of her attackers float away into the freezing, desolate night.

* * *

_ “Mai? Mai, wake up. Wake up, Please!” _

A small pinprick of light in the sky.  _ The moon.  _

_ “You have to wake up. I have to take you to healers!” _

Soft skin against her arms. A brush of hair against her bleeding cheek… 

Mai opened her eyes slowly and blinked to get rid of the blur. She looked into the sky and saw the moon… It was beautiful and full. “The moon,” she croaked. Her voice was hoarse and painful as she spoke. Then, her head turned. It was Yue looking down at her, with her hair shining bright in the glimmering moonlight. 

“Thank the spirits,” Yue exclaimed in a breathy whisper. “Can you stand, Mai? Who did this to you?” 

Once she recovered from the shock of waking up, Mai realized how much pain she was in. Her entire body seemed to be swollen; especially her cheek. She moved one painful arm up to her face and felt warm, sticky blood coating her cheek. “I… I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know.” 

Yue gently reached her hands under Mai’s arms and pulled her into a sitting position. She cupped her Ambassador’s face in her hands and studied it frivolously for a minute. “You’re hurt pretty bad,” she murmured. 

“It doesn’t hurt,” lied Mai, flinching as Yue ran her thumb across the cut on her cheek. 

Yue rolled her eyes, “Don’t lie to me. your lip is busted and your cheek is cut. Let’s get you back to some healers, okay?” 

Mai’s resolve weakened. “Okay,” she whispered, almost inaudibly. With Yue’s help and multiple tries, she was able to stand up. 

The Princess wrapped her arm around Mai’s waist and tried to carry most of her weight. “I’m not very strong, I’m sorry,” she said, her voice strained because of the Ambassador’s weight on her hip. 

Mai didn’t respond; she didn’t have the strength to. She only groaned in pain as she tried to walk. 

“It’s okay, just a little further,” Encouraged Yue. 

Together they walked, slowly, painfully, towards the nearest healing hut. It was a small building with icy walls and a little door. Yue knocked loud and hard to wake up the healer inside. 

It took a few minutes for the healer (who looked incredibly sleepy) to open the door, but the moment she saw the state Mai was in, she ushered them inside. 

Mai was put to lay down on a cot in the hut, and her eyelids drooped. She had never felt more tired in her life- but she was also scared. She needed someone… and she had Yue. 

The Ambassador reached her hand out to hold the princess’s soft one as her eyelids drooped. 

“Please don’t leave,” whispered Mai. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” replied Yue, and Mai fell soundly asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> hey this is my first fic! I love yumai! thank u 
> 
> -murphy


End file.
